MacMorough family genealogy
Kings of Leinster; and Chiefs of "Clan Moroghoe."
Arms: Sa. three garbs or. (Another: Gu. a lion ramp. ar.) Crest: Out of clouds a hand erect holding a crown betw. two swords in bend and bend sinister, points upwards all ppr.
LABHRADH, a brother of Eanna Niadh who is No. 92 on the "O'Toole" pedigree, was the ancestor of MacMuircha; anglicised MacMorough,[1] MacMorrow, and Morrow.
92. Labhradh: son of Breasal Bealach, the second Christian King of Leinster; had two sons:
I. Eanna Ceannsalach.
II. Deagh, a quo Ui Deagha Mór; in Hy-Cinnselach.
93. Eanna Ceannsalach: elder son of Labhradh; mar. Conang; was called Ceann-Salach (unclean head) by Cednathech the Druid, whom he slew at Cruachan Cleanta (Croghan Hill, in the King's County), where Eanna defeated Eochaidh Muigh Meadhoin (Eochy Moyvone), the Monarch, A.D. 365. Had issue:
I. Feidhlimidh (or Felim).
II. Eochu (or Eochaidh) Ceannsalach, who was exiled to Scotland by the Irish Monarch Niall of the Nine Hostages, whom said Eochu assassinated near Boulogne, on the river Leor (now the Lianne).
III. Crimthann Cass, of whom presently.
IV. Earc.
V. Aongus.
VI. Conal.
VII. Trian.
VIII. Cairpre.
94. Crimthann Cass: third son of Eanna Ceannsalach; was King of Leinster for 40 years; baptized by St. Patrick at Rathvilly, circa 448; slain in 484 by his grandson Eochaidh Guinech of the Hy-Bairche. Married Mell, dau. of Erebran of the Desies in Munster (son of Eoghan Bric, son of Art Cuirb, son of Fiacha Suighde, son of Felim Rachtmar), and had issue:
I. Ingen, wife of Daire MacErcadh of the Hy-Bairche.
II. Nathach (or Dathi).
III. Fiacra.
IV. Eithne Uathach, wife of Aongus MacNadfraech, King of Munster.
V. Fergus, who defeated Diarmuid MacCearbhaill at Drum Laeghaire, by the side of Cais in Hy-Faelain, defending the Boromha.[2]
VI. Aongus.
VII. Etchen.
VIII. Cobthach.
95. Nathach: son of Crimthan Cass; was King of Leinster for 10 years; bapt. in his infancy by St. Patrick. Had issue:
I. Owen Caoch, of whom presently.
II. Cormac.
III. Faelan, who had a son named Fergus.
IV. Olioll.
96. Eoghan (or Owen) Caoch: eldest son of Nathach; had two sons:
I. Siollan, of whom presently.
II. Fergus, ancestor of O'Ryan.
97. Siollan ("siollan:" Irish, a skinny, meagre person): son of Eoghan Caoch; a quo O'Siollain, anglicised Sloan.
98. Faelan: his son; was King of Leinster for 9 years.
99. Faolchu: his son; had three sons:
I. Elodach, King of Leinster for 7 years.
II. Onchu, of whom presently.
III. Aongus, slain A.D. 721 at Maisden, Mullaghmast.
100. Onchu: son of Faolchu.
101. Rudgal: his son; had two sons:
I. Aodh (or Hugh), of whom presently.
II. Flann, slain at Allen, in the co. Kildare, A.D. 722.
102. Aodh: son of Rudgal; had two sons:
I. Diarmuid, of whom presently.
II. Bruadar, slain in 853.
103. Diarmuid: son of Aodh; had two sons:
I. Cairbre, of whom presently.
II. Tadhg, slain in 865.
104. Cairbre: son of Diarmuid; slain in 876.
105. Ceneth: his son; slain by the Danes of Loch Carmen; was King of Leinster for 13 years. Had two sons:
I. Echtighern, King of Leinster for 9 years; slain in 951 by the sons of Ceallach, his brother. He had issue:—1. Cairpre, abbot of Clonmore, who d. in 974; 2. Aodh, who slew Donal Cloen, in 983; and 3. Bruadar (Bran?) who d. 982, and was King of Leinster for 4 years.
II. Ceallach, slain in 945.
106. Ceallach: second son of Ceneth; was slain by the Ossorians in 945, at Athcliath (or Dublin). He had two sons:
I. Doncadh, King of Leinster for 6 years.
II. Donal.
107. Donal: second son of Ceallach; was King of Leinster for 9 years; slain by the Ossorians in 974. Had issue:
I. Aodh.
II. Doncadh, slain by Donal Cloen in 983.
III. Diarmuid, of whom presently.
IV. Maolruanaidh, who was King of Leinster for 13 years.
108. Diarmuid: third son of Donal; was King of Leinster for 13 years; d. in 997.
109. Donoch Maol-na-mBo: his son; was King of Leinster for 9 years. Had two sons:
I. Donal Reamhar, slain in 1041 at Killmolappog, co. Carlow, had three sons:—1. Donchadh, slain in 1089 by O'Connor Failghe (Faley); 2. Donal, who was a hostage of Tirlogh O'Brien; and 3. Ruadh, who gave Clonkeen (now known as the "Kill-o'-the Grange"), near Kingstown, to Christ Church in Dublin.
II. Diarmuid, slain in 1072.
110. Diarmuid: second son of Donoch Maol-na-mBo; was the 47th Christian King of Leinster, and the 177th Milesian Monarch of Ireland; was slain on the 23rd Feb., 1072, at Odhba, near Navan; m. Darbhforgal (d. 1080), grand-daughter of the Monarch Brian Boromha, and had issue:
I. Murcha, of whom presently.
II. Glunairn, who in 1071, was slain by the Meath men at Donlah, and buried at Duleek.
III. Enna, who had a son Diarmuid, slain in 1098.
111. Murcha ("muirchu:" Irish, a sea hound, meaning a sea warrior, also called Morogh or Morough), a quo MacMuirchu or MacMorough: eldest son of Diarmuid. From this Murcha, also (and not from his son Murcha), the ClanMorochoe is so called; which has been anglicised O'Moroghoe, and modernized O'Murphy, Murrough, and Murphy. This Murcha was the eldest son of Diarmuid; was the 50th Christian King of Leinster; invaded the Isle of Man in 1070; d. in Dublin on the 8th December, 1090. Had issue:
I. Donal, who was King of Dublin, d. after three days' illness in 1075.
II. Gormlath, who was Abbess of Kildare, d. 1112.
III. Donoch, of whom presently.
IV. Enna, who had a son Diarmuid, d. 1113, at Dublin.
V. Glunairn, whose daughter Sadhbh (d. 1171) was Abbess of Kildare.
VI. Murcha (or Moragh).
112. Donoch MacMorough: the third son of Murcha, No. 111; was King of Dublin, and the 56th Christian King of Leinster; slain in 1115 by Donal O'Brien and the Danes at Dublin. He had two sons:
I. Diarmuid-na-nGhall, of whom presently.
II. Murcha [3] (or Moroch)-na n Gaodhail, from whom descended Davidson or MacDavy Mór. This Murcha was in 1166 elected successor to his brother as King of Leinster, when Diarmuid-na-nGhall was deposed.
113. Diarmuid-na-nGall ("na-nGall:" Irish, of the foreigners): the elder son of Donoch MacMorough; was the 58th Christian King of Leinster; is known as "Dermod MacMorough;"[4] became King of Leinster in 1135; was in 1166 deposed by the Monarch Roderick O'Connor, aided by Tiernan O'Ruarc, Prince of West Brefni; d. in Ferns in January, 1171. Dermod MacMorough had:
I. Aifé (or Eva), who was m. to Richard de Clare, known as "Strongbow;" she d. in 1177.
II. Art, slain in 1170 at Athlone, by the Monarch Roderick O'Connor, to whom said Art was given as a hostage.
III. Donal Caomhanach, a quo O'Kavanagh. (See the "Kavanagh" pedigree.)
IV. Eanna Ceannsalach, a quo O'Kinsela. (See the "Kinsela" pedigree.)
V. Orlacan, who m. Donal Mór, No. 110 on the "O'Brien" (No. 1) pedigree.
Notes
[1] MacMorough: The ancient kings of Leinster had fortresses or royal residences at Dinnrigh, near the river Barrow, between Carlow and Leighlin; at Naas, in Kildare; and in after-times at the city of Ferns in Wexford, which was their capital; and also at Old Ross in Wexford; and at Ballymoon in Carlow. The MacMoroughs were inaugurated as kings of Leinster at a place called Cnoc-an-Bhogha, attended by O'Nolan, who was the King's Marshal, and Chief of Forth in Carlow; by O'Doran, Chief Brehon of Leinster; and by MacKeogh, his Chief Bard; and the MacMoroughs maintained their independence, and held the title of "Kings of Leinster," with large possessions in Wexford and Carlow down to the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The Hy-Cavanagh or O'Cavanaghs were chiefs of the ancient territory which now comprises the barony of Idrone East, in the county Carlow; and in modern times became the representatives of the MacMoroughs, Kings of Leinster.
[2] Boromha: For the explanation of this tribute, see the Paper "Ancient Leinster Tributes," in the Appendix.
[3] Murcha: We have seen it stated in a Genealogical Chart in one of the Kilkenny Arch. Journals, that the Clan-Morochoe descended, and derived their name, from this Murcha; but MacFirbis distinctly states that the Clan-Morochoe is descended and takes its name from Murcha, who is No. 111 on this pedigree.
[4] MacMorough: In 1153 Dermod MacMorough carried off Dearvolga, daughter of O'Melaghlin, the last King of Meath, and the wife of O'Ruark, Prince of Brefney. On this subject Webb writes:—"The transaction cannot have had much of the romance usually associated with the idea of an elopement. She was forty-four years of age, and did not leave her lord without carrying off her cattle and furniture. This was fifteen years before Dermot sought Anglo-Norman assistance; so that the invasion (of Ireland) can scarcely be attributable to the elopement. . . . Dearvorgal spent much of her later life in religious exercises, and part of her substance in endowing churches. She survived until 1193, when she died at Mellifont Abbey, county of Meath, which she had enriched with many presents. Although Dermot's Kingdom nominally passed into Earl Strongbow's family after his decease, much of it appears to have been soon again occupied by the MacMurroughs, by whom it was held in almost undisputed sway for several centuries."